Day 19: Understanding Salt

Salt is essential for our bodies to function, however, too much of it can increase blood pressure and the risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Adults are recommended to consume no more than 6g of salt per day, which is the equivalent to approximately 1 teaspoon. This includes both salt that you add to your food and also salt that is hidden in foods that we buy, such as bread, sauces and soups. Ready meals and takeaways can be especially high in salt.

Top tips for reducing salt intake:

Make as many meals as you can from scratch – get in touch if you’d like some recipe ideas!
Check food labels – some products will have the traffic light system on, showing the amount of salt per serving.
Avoid processed foods.
Use more herbs and spices to flavour foods.
Take the salt off the dining table, so you aren’t tempted to add more to your meal. Overtime, your taste buds will adapt.
Swap salty snacks, like crisps and salted nuts, for fruit and vegetable sticks and unsalted nuts.
Find a recipe alternative to your favourite takeaways – we’ll be giving you some more ideas for this later in the week!

#hearthealthyhabits

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